RACE row councillor Gerald Forsbrey said he was "very pleased" the storm was over after it was announced he will face no further action.

The Spelthorne borough councillor learned his fate after the Members' Code of Conduct Assessment Panel met on Thursday (September 13) to investigate whether to pursue complaints against the Ashford Town member following a racially offensive remark he made in May.

The committee listened to a playback of the authority's planning committee meeting, where Cllr Forsbrey was among members discussing plans to build homes on a derelict police training site in Sunbury.

He used a turn of phrase that was later said to have been meant to express the fact that he held a differing opinion to others.

According to evidence presented to the panel, the remark resulted in two members of the public, who were shocked and struck with disbelief that it was not picked up on by planning chairman Cllr Richard Smith Ainsley, to file complaints.

The panel agreed that the comment could reasonably be argued as bringing the office or authority into disrepute but decided that Cllr Forsbrey's written apology, two days after receiving the initial complaint, coupled with further apologies in the press and future planning meetings was adequate to not merit further sanctions.

Panel chairman Sue Faulkner said: “The committee took great care in coming to its decision and we also decided to have the hearing in public to ensure that all findings were open and transparent.

“The comments made by Cllr Forsbrey were directed at himself. He also accepts that he could have chosen his words more wisely and that they were not in the best interests of promoting equality. His apologies were both prompt and profuse.

“In the circumstances the panel made the decision that no further action is necessary.”

Cllr Forsbrey added: "I'm very pleased it's over. Me, I think it was a waste of time bringing it [to the panel], that is my opinion, but now that it is over I am deeply relieved.

"I had two letters from members of the public who said they were deeply upset with what was said.

"I didn't mean to cause offence to anybody. It's an old fashioned saying and I am an old man. But I understand how it can be taken as offensive."